ScalaMeter Performance regression testing framework

Aleksandar Prokopec, Josh Suereth

Goal

List(1 to 100000: _*).map(x => x * x)

26 ms

Goal

List(1 to 100000: _*).map(x => x * x)

class List[+T] extends Seq[T] { // implementation 1 }

26 ms

Goal

List(1 to 100000: _*).map(x => x * x)

class List[+T] extends Seq[T] { // implementation 1 }

26 ms

Goal

List(1 to 100000: _*).map(x => x * x)

class List[+T] extends Seq[T] { // implementation 2 }

49 ms

First example

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

First example

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

First example

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

First example

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

First example

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) } measure()

First example

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) } measure()

26 ms

The warmup problem

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) } measure() measure()

26 ms, 11 ms

The warmup problem

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) } measure() measure()

26 ms, 11 ms

Why? Mainly: - JIT compilation - dynamic optimization

The warmup problem

def measure() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 2000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() var sum = 0 buffer.foreach(sum += _) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

45 ms, 10 ms

26 ms, 11 ms

The warmup problem

def measure2() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 4000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() buffer.map(_ + 1) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

The warmup problem

def measure2() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 4000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() buffer.map(_ + 1) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

241, 238, 235, 236, 234

The warmup problem

def measure2() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 4000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() buffer.map(_ + 1) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

241, 238, 235, 236, 234, 429

The warmup problem

def measure2() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 4000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() buffer.map(_ + 1) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

241, 238, 235, 236, 234, 429, 209

The warmup problem

def measure2() { val buffer = mutable.ArrayBuffer(0 until 4000000: _*) val start = System.currentTimeMillis() buffer.map(_ + 1) val end = System.currentTimeMillis() println(end - start) }

241, 238, 235, 236, 234, 429, 209, 194, 195, 195

The warmup problem

Bottomline: benchmark has to be repeated until the running time becomes “stable”. The number of repetitions is not known in advance.

241, 238, 235, 236, 234, 429, 209, 194, 195, 195

Warming up the JVM

241, 238, 235, 236, 234, 429, 209, 194, 195, 195, 194, 194, 193, 194, 196, 195, 195

Can this be automated? Idea: measure variance of the running times. When it becomes sufficiently small, the test has stabilized.

The interference problem

val buffer = ArrayBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1) val buffer = ListBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1)

The interference problem

Lets measure the first map 3 times with 7 repetitions:

val buffer = ArrayBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1) val buffer = ListBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1)

61, 54, 54, 54, 55, 55, 56 186, 54, 54, 54, 55, 54, 53 54, 54, 53, 53, 53, 54, 51

The interference problem

val buffer = ArrayBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1) val buffer = ListBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1)

Now, lets measure the list buffer map in between:

61, 54, 54, 54, 55, 55, 56 186, 54, 54, 54, 55, 54, 53 54, 54, 53, 53, 53, 54, 51

59, 54, 54, 54, 54, 54, 54 44, 36, 36, 36, 35, 36, 36 45, 45, 45, 45, 44, 46, 45 18, 17, 18, 18, 17, 292, 16 45, 45, 44, 44, 45, 45, 44

The interference problem

val buffer = ArrayBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1) val buffer = ListBuffer(0 until 900000: _*) buffer.map(_ + 1)

Now, lets measure the list buffer map in between:

61, 54, 54, 54, 55, 55, 56 186, 54, 54, 54, 55, 54, 53 54, 54, 53, 53, 53, 54, 51

59, 54, 54, 54, 54, 54, 54 44, 36, 36, 36, 35, 36, 36 45, 45, 45, 45, 44, 46, 45 18, 17, 18, 18, 17, 292, 16 45, 45, 44, 44, 45, 45, 44

Using separate JVM

Bottomline: always run the tests in a new JVM.

Using separate JVM

Bottomline: always run the tests in a new JVM. This may not reflect a real-world scenario, but it gives a good idea of how different several alternatives are.

Using separate JVM

Bottomline: always run the tests in a new JVM. It results in a reproducible, more stable measurement.

The List.map example

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

The List.map example

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

37, 38, 37, 1175, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, …, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, 465, 35, 35, …

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

37, 38, 37, 1175, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, …, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, 465, 35, 35, …

This benchmark triggers GC cycles!

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

37, 38, 37, 1175, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, …, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, 465, 35, 35, … -> mean: 47 ms

This benchmark triggers GC cycles!

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

37, 38, 37, 1175, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, …, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, 465, 35, 35, … -> mean: 47 ms

This benchmark triggers GC cycles!

37, 37, 37, 647, 37, 36, 38, 37, 36, …, 36, 37, 36, 37, 36, 37, 534, 36, 33, … -> mean: 39 ms

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

37, 38, 37, 1175, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, …, 38, 37, 37, 37, 37, 465, 35, 35, … -> mean: 47 ms

This benchmark triggers GC cycles!

37, 37, 37, 647, 37, 36, 38, 37, 36, …, 36, 37, 36, 37, 36, 37, 534, 36, 33, … -> mean: 39 ms

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

Solutions: -repeat A LOT of times –an accurate mean, but takes A LONG time

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

Solutions: -repeat A LOT of times –an accurate mean, but takes A LONG time -ignore the measurements with GC – gives a reproducible value, and less measurements

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

Solutions: -repeat A LOT of times –an accurate mean, but takes A LONG time -ignore the measurements with GC – gives a reproducible value, and less measurements

- how to do this?

The garbage collection problem

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

- manually - verbose:gc

Automatic GC detection

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

- manually - verbose:gc - automatically using callbacks in JDK7

37, 37, 37, 647, 37, 36, 38, 37, 36, …, 36, 37, 36, 37, 36, 37, 534, 36, 33, …

Automatic GC detection

val list = (0 until 2500000).toList list.map(_ % 2 == 0)

- manually - verbose:gc - automatically using callbacks in JDK7

37, 37, 37, 647, 37, 36, 38, 37, 36, …, 36, 37, 36, 37, 36, 37, 534, 36, 33, …

raises a GC event

The runtime problem

- there are other runtime events beside GC – e.g. JIT compilation, dynamic optimization, etc.

- these take time, but cannot be determined accurately

The runtime problem

- there are other runtime events beside GC – e.g. JIT compilation, dynamic optimization, etc.

- these take time, but cannot be determined accurately - heap state also influences memory allocation patterns

and performance

The runtime problem

- there are other runtime events beside GC – e.g. JIT compilation, dynamic optimization, etc.

- these take time, but cannot be determined accurately - heap state also influences memory allocation patterns

and performance

val list = (0 until 4000000).toList list.groupBy(_ % 10)

(allocation intensive)

The runtime problem

- there are other runtime events beside GC – e.g. JIT compilation, dynamic optimization, etc.

- these take time, but cannot be determined accurately - heap state also influences memory allocation patterns

and performance

val list = (0 until 4000000).toList list.groupBy(_ % 10)

120, 121, 122, 118, 123, 794, 109, 111, 115, 113, 110

The runtime problem

- there are other runtime events beside GC – e.g. JIT compilation, dynamic optimization, etc.

- these take time, but cannot be determined accurately - heap state also influences memory allocation patterns

and performance

val list = (0 until 4000000).toList list.groupBy(_ % 10)

120, 121, 122, 118, 123, 794, 109, 111, 115, 113, 110

affects the mean – 116 ms vs 178 ms

Outlier elimination

120, 121, 122, 118, 123, 794, 109, 111, 115, 113, 110

Outlier elimination

120, 121, 122, 118, 123, 794, 109, 111, 115, 113, 110

109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 794

sort

Outlier elimination

120, 121, 122, 118, 123, 794, 109, 111, 115, 113, 110

109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 794

sort

inspect tail and its variance contribution

109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123

Outlier elimination

120, 121, 122, 118, 123, 794, 109, 111, 115, 113, 110

109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 794

sort

inspect tail and its variance contribution

109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123

109, 110, 111, 113, 115, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124

redo the measurement

Doing all this manually

ScalaMeter

Does all this analysis automatically, highly configurable.

Plus, it detects performance regressions.

And generates reports.

ScalaMeter example

object ListTest extends PerformanceTest.Microbenchmark {

A range of predefined benchmark types

ScalaMeter example

object ListTest extends PerformanceTest.Microbenchmark { val sizes = Gen.range("size”)(500000, 1000000, 100000)

Generators provide input data for tests

ScalaMeter example

object ListTest extends PerformanceTest.Microbenchmark { val sizes = Gen.range("size”)(500000, 1000000, 100000) val lists = for (sz <- sizes) yield (0 until sz).toList

Generators can be composed a la ScalaCheck

ScalaMeter example

object ListTest extends PerformanceTest.Microbenchmark { val sizes = Gen.range("size”)(500000, 1000000, 100000) val lists = for (sz <- sizes) yield (0 until sz).toList using(lists) in { xs => xs.groupBy(_ % 10) } }

Concise syntax to specify and group tests

ScalaMeter example

object ListTest extends PerformanceTest.Microbenchmark { val sizes = Gen.range("size”)(500000, 1000000, 100000) val lists = for (sz <- sizes) yield (0 until sz).toList measure method “groupBy” in { using(lists) in { xs => xs.groupBy(_ % 10) } using(ranges) in { xs => xs.groupBy(_ % 10) } } }

Automatic regression testing

using(lists) in { xs => var sum = 0 xs.foreach(x => sum += x) }

Automatic regression testing

using(lists) in { xs => var sum = 0 xs.foreach(x => sum += x) }

[info] Test group: foreach [info] - foreach.Test-0 measurements: [info] - at size -> 2000000, 1 alternatives: passed [info] (ci = <7.28, 8.22>, significance = 1.0E-10)

Automatic regression testing

using(lists) in { xs => var sum = 0 xs.foreach(x => sum += math.sqrt(x)) }

Automatic regression testing

using(lists) in { xs => var sum = 0 xs.foreach(x => sum += math.sqrt(x)) }

[info] Test group: foreach [info] - foreach.Test-0 measurements: [info] - at size -> 2000000, 2 alternatives: failed [info] (ci = <14.57, 15.38>, significance = 1.0E-10) [error] Failed confidence interval test: <-7.85, -6.60> [error] Previous (mean = 7.75, stdev = 0.44, ci = <7.28, 8.22>) [error] Latest (mean = 14.97, stdev = 0.38, ci = <14.57, 15.38>)

Automatic regression testing

- configurable: ANOVA (analysis of variance) or confidence interval testing

- can apply noise to make unstable tests more solid - various policies on keeping the result history

Report generation

Tutorials online!

http://axel22.github.com/scalameter

Questions?